2005 budget: others sections

The European Parliament adopted a resolution, by 477 votes for, 106 against and 5 abstentions, based on the draft by Salvador GARRIGA POLLEDO (EPP-ED, ES) and Anne Elisabet JENSEN (ALDE, DK)adopting the EU budget for 2005. Parliament decided to reconfirm its first reading priorities and amendments with the adjustments resulting from the agreement with the Council reached at the budget conciliation on 25 November 2004. The Budget for 2005 as adopted by the Parliament amounts to EUR 116 554 135 698 in commitments, which represents an increase of 6.1% on the 2004 Budget, and EUR 106 300 million in payments, which represents an increase of 4.4% on the 2004 Budget. This level of payments represents 1.004% of estimated GNI for the year 2005, compared to 1.08% as established by the Financial Perspective, a difference of EUR 7,935 million.

More specifically, as regards administrative expenditure, Parliament stated its willingness to provide the EU institutions with the necessary means for 2005 to address the needs created by enlargement, and restored a significant part of the appropriations cut by the Council in its second reading. It agreed to create almost all posts requested by the Institutions in their estimates for 2005. Parliament also pointed out that the 2004 salary adjustment is only 0.7% instead of 2.6% as initially envisaged. Appropriations in the 2005 budget must be adjusted to take account of this lower than expected salary adjustment level.

Pre-Accession Strategy: The Council and the Parliament have agreed to include EUR 120m for promoting the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community. Financing for Croatia amounts to some EUR 105m, reflecting the pre-accession strategy for that country.